ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a structured reinforcement intervention based on visual supports on the decrease of Out-of-seat behavior in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Three students with ASD exhibiting frequent out-of-seat behavior and strong preferences for specific activities participated, and a multiple probe across design participants was applied. The intervention consisted of two structured phases: the [Introduction-Practice] phase, which provided explicit guidance on reinforcement contingencies using ‘First-Then’ picture cards and visual timers, and the [Intensive Reinforcement] phase, which systematically strengthened alternative behavior through a Fixed Duration (FD) schedule. Results indicated that, first, out-of-seat behavior decreased significantly in Participants A and B compared to baseline, with both demonstrating immediate behavioral changes upon intervention introduction and high effect sizes (PND 100%, Tau-U 0.96-1.00). Second, follow-up sessions confirmed that the reduced out-of-seat behavior was stably sustained after intervention termination. Notably, Participant C showed natural extinction of out-of-seat behavior during the baseline phase without intervention, suggesting the influence of uncontrolled variables in the unstructured classroom environment and highlighting the importance of data-based decision-making regarding intervention necessity based on baseline data. These findings confirm that the combination of visual structuring and systematic reinforcement scheduling is effective in reducing challenging behaviors and enhancing self-regulation in students with ASD, and provide practical implications as an evidence-based intervention model that is readily applicable by classroom teachers.

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